The NYC Training Pockets Playbook: Hallways, Lobbies, Quiet Blocks, and Park Edges
If you read NYC is hard mode and thought, “Ok… but what do I actually do tomorrow?” This is that.
Because here is the truth:
You don’t need perfect conditions. You need a progression plan.
And in NYC, that progression starts with what I call training pockets.
They are not where you train forever. They are where you install the skill so your dog can later use the skill everywhere.
First: what is a training pocket?
A training pocket is a place (and time) where learning can actually happen.
Not because it is “easy,” but because it is controlled.
In NYC we do not get backyards and quiet cul-de-sacs. We get elevators, tight sidewalks, scooters, people, dogs, food trash, noise, and pressure.
So instead of trying to teach your dog brand new skills on your hardest walk…
You carve out pockets where your dog can win.
Install → Proof → Generalize → Routine.
That is the whole game.
The Pocket Ladder (the progression that makes this work)
1) Install (low friction)
This is where you teach the skill cleanly. Short sessions. High clarity. No chaos.
2) Proof (medium friction)
Same skill, slightly harder environment. Not “throw them into the deep end.” Just one notch up.
3) Generalize (real NYC)
Now you take it to your actual route. Still controlled. Still intentional. You just stop babying the context.
4) Routine (automatic)
The best part: you are not “training” all day. You are just living, and your dog has a playbook.
The 10-minute NYC session template (do this all week)
This is the format I use constantly because it works with real schedules.
The key is this: each step should be easier than your real walk, and you should not expect the same performance outside that you get inside. Inside is where you install clean reps. Outside is where you lower criteria, help more, and build reliability over time.
Here is the template:
3 minutes in an inside pocket (install clean reps)
3 minutes in an outside pocket (same skill, but easier than your real walk)
4 minutes on your real walk (use the skill with lower expectations, more help, and just one small win)
Do that 5 days in a row and your dog will look “suddenly better.”
Not because of magic.
Because you stopped trying to train on hard mode 100% of the time.
The Pocket Library: where to train in NYC (and what each pocket is for)
You only need a handful of pockets. Most people just do not know how to use them.
Pocket #1: Your apartment (yes, even a studio)
What it is for: installing basics with zero chaos.
Best skills:
sit and wait until released
place / settle
leash handling mechanics (without distractions)
leave-it foundations
Rule: if your dog cannot do it in here, do not expect it outside.
Pocket #2: Hallways
What it is for: clean reps with a little pressure, but still controlled.
Best skills:
place / settle
sit and wait until released
leash manners (leash slack, check-ins)
impulse control at thresholds (doorways)
Common mistake: doing it once and calling it trained. Hallways are where you get your volume. They are your rep factory.
Pocket #3: Lobby / mailroom
What it is for: “read the room” training. People, motion, noise, but still predictable.
Best skills:
settle while people walk by
neutrality (not greeting everybody)
holding position through distraction
leave-it around dropped food / random smells
Common mistake: letting the lobby become a social free-for-all. Your dog does not need more random interactions. They need more clarity.
Pocket #4: Elevator / vestibule (advanced pocket)
This one is spicy. Use it after you have installed the skill.
What it is for: tight-space neutrality and impulse control.
Best skills:
sit and wait until released (elevator opens, dog holds position)
calm exits
not rushing humans / not scanning for dogs
Common mistake: trying to fix elevator chaos in the elevator. Install the rule outside the elevator first.
Pocket #5: The quiet block (dead-end street, side street, odd quiet corner)
This is your best outside pocket.
What it is for: real-world walking skills without the full blast of the city.
Best skills:
loose leash walking foundations
check-ins
“let’s go” / moving with you
leave-it on the ground in a controlled way
Common mistake: going from hallway reps to main avenue chaos. You need a middle step.
Pocket #6: Park edge (not the center)
The center of the park is where everyone goes to “see what happens.” The edge is where training happens.
What it is for: proofing with the ability to control distance.
Best skills:
settle while the world moves
neutrality around dogs at distance
recall foundations (on leash or long line)
focus around motion without getting sucked into it
Common mistake: taking your dog to the busiest area and calling it “socialization.” Most dogs do not need more stimulation. They need more success.
Two real examples (so you can picture this)
Example 1: Potty + pressure (why pockets matter)
This is the part people miss. Your dog does not realize “potty time” starts the second you notice they have to go. To them, it is: wait for the elevator… lobby… front door… sidewalk… and somehow still hold it the whole time.
So if your dog has accidents, panics, pulls, or loses their mind before you even get outside, that is not a “bad dog.”
That is hard mode stacking pressure before the walk even begins.
Example 2: Birdie (installing a rule before the walk)
Birdie was doing what a lot of city dogs do: walking outside with her brain scattered everywhere. Sounds, smells, wheels, people, dogs. She was not “bad,” she was just living in NYC on hard mode.
So we stopped trying to fix it on the busiest part of the walk.
We installed one simple rule in tiny pockets: sit and wait until released. Before leaving the apartment. Before the elevator opened. Before exiting the building.
And once she started winning those reps, the walk changed. She began checking in more, staying connected longer, and looking for opportunities to get it right instead of getting pulled away by everything.
The pass/fail rule (so you do not lie to yourself)
Here is the standard I want you using:
PASS: you can get 10 reps with about 80% success in a pocket
FAIL: you are asking too much (reduce duration, increase distance, simplify the picture)
That is not judgment. That is training.
No shame. Just data.
If you want help, here is the simplest way I work with people
If you want your dog to thrive in NYC without guessing, I can map your dog’s progression: what to train first, which pockets to use in your building and neighborhood, and how to level it up until it becomes your routine.
Step 1: Book a free Discovery Call.
We will get clear on what is happening, what you want, and whether we are a fit to work together.
Step 2 (optional): Follow along on Instagram.
I post NYC-specific training reps, real-world proofing, and hard mode cheat codes you can use immediately.
